Denice

I can lose a day working in my studio,  even recycling clay and cleaning  time fly's by.   My husbands loves to work on cars but hates lawn work.  We hire a man to help us with outdoor work,  last summer the front end on his car broke.  My husband  agrees to fix his car instead of paying him for his work that day.    The hired man comments later  that he has never seen someone so happy to be working on a car.  My husband spent his life writing technical books on amusement rides, plane, trains and construction  equipment.   But is happiest when he is working with his hands.  Denice

I can lose a day working in my studio,  even recycling clay and cleaning  time fly's by.   My husbands loves to work on cars but hates lawn work.  We hire a man to help us with outdoor work,  last summer the front end on his car broke.  My husband  agrees to fix his car instead of paying him for his work that day.    The hired man comments later  that he has never seen someone so happy to be working on a car.  My husband spent his life writing technical books on amusement rides, plane, trains and construction  equipment.   But is happiest when he is working with his hands.  Denice

I can lose a day working in my studio,  even recycling clay and cleaning  time fly's by.   My husbands loves to work on cars but hates lawn work.  We hire a man to help us with outdoor work,  last summer the front end on his car broke.  My husband  agrees to fix his car instead of paying him for his work that day.    The hired man comments later  that he has never seen someone so happy to be working on a car.  My husband spent his life writing technical books on amusement rides, plane, trains and construction  equipment.   But is happiest when he is working with his hands.  Denice

I don't have any unusual tools but I do use  tool tray inserts that I store my tools in.   They are to be used in large tool chest,  the plastic is heavy you don't need any support.  They stack inside of each other and are easy to wash out.  I am kind of a tool hoarder so I have three of them  filled.    Denice

In my early adult years I did not talk to myself as I do now in my later years

Our local art museum would have a exhibit for children with impaired sight,   they could pick up and touch the art work.   I  thought it would be great if they had  a permanent exhibit for all children to enjoy touching the art work.   I would be happy to donate pots to it.     I love to observe  and touch  pottery,  it gives me a feeling of being grounded to the earth.    Denice

Our local art museum would have a exhibit for children with impaired sight,   they could pick up and touch the art work.   I  thought it would be great if they had  a permanent exhibit for all children to enjoy touching the art work.   I would be happy to donate pots to it.     I love to observe  and touch  pottery,  it gives me a feeling of being grounded to the earth.    Denice

I am also 70 years old,  I purchased a new Paragon Caldera test kiln a few months ago and I installed a new LL kiln with the same Genesis 2.0  controller on it this week in my kiln room.  I purchase the test kiln because the one I was using needed work and it was old and didn't have a controller or thick walls.  My old Skutt started giving me trouble at the same time.  I thought long and hard on whether it was a sensible thing to do at my age it invest in new equipment at my age.  Maybe I should give it up,  I just couldn't imagine myself doing anything else,   sure I could find something to piddle with  but I would lose interest quickly.   My interest lately is testing the same glaze on  eight or so different clay's.   I can see myself delving even deeper into glaze to put on small pots.  Someday I will have to quit working in my studio,  I will at least know that old age didn't stop me from doing what I love.   Denice

You will need to start this journey a small and large thumb,   a medium wire tool to cut out excess clay and a rubber rib to smooth clay.   You might want to make your first piece before you buy anything to get a feel for the tools you will need,  your hands are your best tool.   Look around your house and garage and there is many objects you can use.   A old credit card makes a great stiff smoother,  you can make a them out of plastic bottles also.  A couple of homemade wire tools  I bought are the best wire tools I have ever had.  I have seen a  small cheese slicer used to cut off excess clay.   The thumbs will have to be whittled out of wood,  using a dremel  grinding stone on a piece of soft wood like pine it makes  pretty quick work of it.  I made a small thumb once by gluing a stack of popsickle sticks together and shaping on end like a thumb.   Have fun!  Denice

You will need to start this journey a small and large thumb,   a medium wire tool to cut out excess clay and a rubber rib to smooth clay.   You might want to make your first piece before you buy anything to get a feel for the tools you will need,  your hands are your best tool.   Look around your house and garage and there is many objects you can use.   A old credit card makes a great stiff smoother,  you can make a them out of plastic bottles also.  A couple of homemade wire tools  I bought are the best wire tools I have ever had.  I have seen a  small cheese slicer used to cut off excess clay.   The thumbs will have to be whittled out of wood,  using a dremel  grinding stone on a piece of soft wood like pine it makes  pretty quick work of it.  I made a small thumb once by gluing a stack of popsickle sticks together and shaping on end like a thumb.   Have fun!  Denice

You will need to start this journey a small and large thumb,   a medium wire tool to cut out excess clay and a rubber rib to smooth clay.   You might want to make your first piece before you buy anything to get a feel for the tools you will need,  your hands are your best tool.   Look around your house and garage and there is many objects you can use.   A old credit card makes a great stiff smoother,  you can make a them out of plastic bottles also.  A couple of homemade wire tools  I bought are the best wire tools I have ever had.  I have seen a  small cheese slicer used to cut off excess clay.   The thumbs will have to be whittled out of wood,  using a dremel  grinding stone on a piece of soft wood like pine it makes  pretty quick work of it.  I made a small thumb once by gluing a stack of popsickle sticks together and shaping on end like a thumb.   Have fun!  Denice

I hope you get some throwing done this summer.   Work and family can keep you busy,   I have been busy buying new equipment,  I bought a new Paragon Caldera test kiln a few months ago.   I just got a call and the shipping company  is delivering my new LL kiln tomorrow.   I sold my big  Skutt last night to a new potter,  I told her I would help her with her first firing or answer any questions she had.    Denice

I hope you get some throwing done this summer.   Work and family can keep you busy,   I have been busy buying new equipment,  I bought a new Paragon Caldera test kiln a few months ago.   I just got a call and the shipping company  is delivering my new LL kiln tomorrow.   I sold my big  Skutt last night to a new potter,  I told her I would help her with her first firing or answer any questions she had.    Denice

I used to have a stack of pots that I really didn't like  and I would let visitors to my studio take one home.   I would watch them ooh and ahh over them  and it slowly started to sink in that  people can have very different taste in art.   Some people would look for the piece that had the most imperfections,  now I know not to throw those away.     Denice

I used to have a stack of pots that I really didn't like  and I would let visitors to my studio take one home.   I would watch them ooh and ahh over them  and it slowly started to sink in that  people can have very different taste in art.   Some people would look for the piece that had the most imperfections,  now I know not to throw those away.     Denice

I used to have a stack of pots that I really didn't like  and I would let visitors to my studio take one home.   I would watch them ooh and ahh over them  and it slowly started to sink in that  people can have very different taste in art.   Some people would look for the piece that had the most imperfections,  now I know not to throw those away.     Denice

My first throwing class we were only allowed to keep three pieces for grading purposes.   It was that way until I was in advance throwing,  mostly the class threw and cut.   We also had to mix clay,  help load kilns and clean.   All of the pottery classes were full and the department was overwhelmed with clay needing to be made and glazed pots sitting everywhere waiting to be fired.  Denice

I get some heat from the house it is enough to keep things from freezing.   I have one of those radiator looking electric heaters,  first thing I do is turn it on in the morning.   I also turn on a couple of small fans to move the air around.   I am unable to warm it enough to work out there when it is 0 and below outside.   I catch up with chores in the house on those days,  fortunately the southern part of Kansas only has 2 or 3 weeks of intense cold  each year.  I know that doesn't sound that cold to some but we get strong winds with it.  Even people from colder states complain about the cold weather here.    Denice

There is a little bit of my life in everyone's answer,  life just gets in the way.   I am  just thankful that I am 70 and can still work with clay.   I am unloading my big kiln today  and  start glazing so I can fire tomorrow.  Who could ask  for more!   Denice

There is a little bit of my life in everyone's answer,  life just gets in the way.   I am  just thankful that I am 70 and can still work with clay.   I am unloading my big kiln today  and  start glazing so I can fire tomorrow.  Who could ask  for more!   Denice

Have been thinking about this one for several days - no regrets.
I'm only five years in.
I keep cycling back to wish I'd started sooner, but then I like where I am now, so.
Having seen a live throwing demonstration (a very long time ago), I wanted to try that, and finally got around to it Spring 2018, as retirement was coming up (and happened much sooner than I'd anticipated) and I for sure wanted to stay busy - not just "busy" - err, vitally engaged.
Clay has provided vital engagement!
I love it.

The utility cabinet I use is vented,  I purchase 2 of them 13 years ago for  80 dollars.   I bought two because I wanted to make sure I had enough drying space.  I have never used the second one,  my husband uses it in the garage.   I was recently in a lumber yard and noticed they had the same cabinets for 40 dollars.  they haven't  change prices in 13 years.  Denice.

I don't get very attached to my work,  I am a process oriented person.   I like the process of making it but once it is finished I can let go of it.  I think I am this way because of my childhood.  I had four sisters and we lived in a 600 sq. ft. house.  We each had a drawer for our clothes and toys,  we would have to clean it out every month and give the toys  we hadn't played with recently to the salvation army.   Denice

The utility cabinet I use is vented,  I purchase 2 of them 13 years ago for  80 dollars.   I bought two because I wanted to make sure I had enough drying space.  I have never used the second one,  my husband uses it in the garage.   I was recently in a lumber yard and noticed they had the same cabinets for 40 dollars.  they haven't  change prices in 13 years.  Denice.

It can be humid in my area so I put a small desk fan or a light bulb in the bottom of my cabinet,  the fan cannot blow directly on the pots.   The cabinet I use is a utility or laundry room cabinet, it is all plastic with adjustable shelves and is vented.   I have to put wire racks on the shelves so I won't have a build up of condensation between the shelf and the bottom of the pot.  I pick up the racks at estate sales,   you have to know the size  and make sure the wires and to far apart.  I bought one for tile that is called a pie rack ,  3 shelves that stack on top of each other and then fold up to put away.    Denice